How Trump's approval has slid on key issues 27-Mar 18:43

What happened this week

President Donald Trump's overall approval rating fell to the lowest point since he returned to office, a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday found, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and resulting energy crunch dragged on.

Gas at the pump has climbed by one dollar in the past month to a national average of nearly $4 a gallon, according to the American Automobile Association. Americans have said rising prices at the pump are hitting household finances.

What the numbers show

Pocketbook issues have been a persistent vulnerability in ratings for Trump, who has enacted steep tariffs on imports that increased the price of consumer goods.

The latest numbers suggest the war he launched in the Middle East is weighing on views of his economic stewardship. Support for his foreign policy as a whole also sank.

What's next

Democrats aim to take back control of Congress from Republicans in the November midterm elections. But Trump's declining popularity in the latest poll did not correlate with growing support for Democrats.

A prolonged fuel crisis could especially hit lower-income households, which direct a greater share of their spending to gasoline and energy.